China’s military: the huge civilian ships that could back up the PLA in a Taiwan invasion

US report on Beijing’s growing ability to invade the island fuels further speculation on what such a combat might look like

Giant ro-ro passenger ships would be requisitioned to transport troops, tanks and provisions, CCTV reports and defence analysts suggest

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China has a tradition of deploying civilian patrol ships. Photo: Weibo

Published: 6:00pm, 20 Nov 2021

Civilian resources could provide valuable backup if Beijing were to launch an attack across the Taiwan Strait, analysts said.

This came after a US government advisory agency concluded that the mainland Chinese military already had or would soon achieve the ability to invade Taiwan.

Beijing considers the self-ruled island a breakaway province to be brought into its fold, by force if necessary, and rising cross-strait tensions have fuelled speculation over what such a conflict might look like.

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In its annual report released on Wednesday, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said the People’s Liberation Army was capable of landing at least 25,000 troops on Taiwan to establish an initial beachhead.

The PLA could also use new tactics to offset some of the US military’s potency in the region, the commission, which is Washington’s leading advisory panel on China policy, warned in the exhaustive 539-page report.

Beijing has in recent years become increasingly infuriated by closer ties between Taipei and Washington, especially on the military and diplomatic fronts.

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The PLA had trained with barges, ferries and other civilian vessels to transport troops across the Taiwan Strait or elsewhere, in addition to more conventional military transport, the US agency noted.

China’s military: the huge civilian ships that could back up the PLA in a Taiwan invasion

US report on Beijing’s growing ability to invade the island fuels further speculation on what such a combat might look like Giant ro-ro passenger ships would be requisitioned to transport troops, tanks and provisions, CCTV reports and defence analysts suggest

US report on Beijing’s growing ability to invade the island fuels further speculation on what such a combat might look like

Giant ro-ro passenger ships would be requisitioned to transport troops, tanks and provisions, CCTV reports and defence analysts suggest